The secret to how China’s bamboo liqueur is made
One manufacturer in Sichuan province hoping to boost output of the alcoholic drink matured inside living bamboo trunks
A manufacturer of Chinese liqueurs, Chen Chao wanders through the bamboo-covered mountains of southwest China’s Sichuan province to his “cellar” where he will check on this year’s prize blend.
In the absence of an oak barrel, the 30-year-old uses live bamboo trunks to age his spirit, a method reputed to confer a unique aroma and even medicinal benefits.
The cereal liqueur is introduced into bamboo trunks “via high-pressure injection techniques”, he said.
Young bamboos are preferred, he added, because they “heal” within days, allowing the spirit to mature before the trunk is finally cut in early April in time for the annual Qingming, or tomb-sweeping, festival when many Chinese honour their ancestors.
During the ageing process, “the liqueur mingles with the flavone [the liquid released by the trunk] and the sap of bamboo”, Chen said, referring to two ingredients renowned for their “detoxifying” effect and contribution towards healthy lungs, according to traditional Chinese medicine.